Belarus
2026
- GOVERNMENT
- nominally a republic, in fact a dictatorship
- CONSTITUTION
- March 15, 1994; amended 1996, 2004
- LEGAL SYSTEM
- based on civil law; not subject to the jurisdiction of the ICJ
- LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM
- bicameral, National Assembly (Natsionalnoye Sobranie) composed of the Council of the Republic (Soviet Respubliki) and the House of Representatives (Palata Predstaviteley)
- JUDICIAL SYSTEM
- Supreme Court (composed of the president and vice president and organized into various specialized chambers, including economic and military; number of judges determined by the president of the republic and the president of the court); Constitutional Court (composed of 12 judges, including a president and a vice president); oblast courts; City Court of Minsk; city courts; Economic Courts of the city and oblast of Minsk
RELIGIONS
Orthodox 48.3%, Catholics 7.1%, others 3.5%, non-believers 41.1% (estimate 2011)
From the country
SEPTEMBER 24, 2009BelarusDEATH PENALTYBELARUS: DEATH SENTENCE APPEAL TO BE HEARD BY SUPREME COURT
an appeal against one of the two death sentences imposed this year in Belarus will be heard by the Supreme
- AUGUST 21, 2009BelarusDEATH PENALTY
VASILEVICH DEFENDS CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN BELARUS
the Belarusian Prosecutor General said the grave crimes should be punished by the death penalty.
- AUGUST 18, 2009BelarusDEATH PENALTY
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL LAUNCHES ANOTHER CAMPAIGN AGAINST DEATH PENALTY IN BELARUS
Amnesty International launched another campaign against the death penalty in Belarus.
- AUGUST 3, 2009BelarusDEATH PENALTY
EUROPEAN UNION CONDEMNS ANOTHER DEATH SENTENCE IN BELARUS
the EU criticised the death sentence issued by a Minsk city court to Andrei Zhuk and called on Belarus impose a moratorium on executions.
- JULY 17, 2009BelarusDEATH PENALTY
BELARUS: GUNMAN SENTENCED TO DEATH OVER PAYROLL ROBBERY
a judge of the Minsk Regional Court in Belarus sentenced a 25-year-old man to death
- JULY 16, 2009BelarusDEATH PENALTY
EU EXPRESSES CONCERN ABOUT BELARUS DEATH SENTENCE
the European Union expressed concern about the death sentence that was imposed on Vasil Yazepchuk by the Brest Regional Court on June 29, 2009, in Belarus.
JUNE 29, 2009BelarusDEATH PENALTYBELARUS: MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR MURDERING SIX OLD WOMEN IN BREST REGION
the Brest Regional Court in Belarus sentenced a 30 year old stateless man to death for
- JUNE 25, 2009BelarusDEATH PENALTY
BELARUS: JUDICIARY SAID TO BE READY FOR DEATH PENALTY ABOLITION
Belarus’ judicial system is ready to introduce a moratorium on the death penalty, Supreme Court Chairman Valyantsin Sukala told reporters in Minsk.
JUNE 23, 2009BelarusDEATH PENALTYBELARUS: DEATH PENALTY BAN UNEXPECTED AS CONDITION FOR RESTORING SPECIAL GUEST STATUS
Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of
- JUNE 11, 2009BelarusDEATH PENALTY
DEATH PENALTY ABOLITION IN BELARUS DISCUSSED
the issue of death penalty abolition in Belarus is being discussed, Valery Mitskevich, Deputy Head of the Administration of the President of Belarus, told reporters in the House of Representatives of the National Assembly.
- JUNE 9, 2009BelarusDEATH PENALTY
COUNCIL OF EUROPE: BELARUS URGED TO ABOLISH DEATH PENALTY
the Council of Europe's (CE) Deputy Secretary General, Maud de Boer-Buquicchio,
- MARCH 25, 2009BelarusDEATH PENALTY
BELARUS SAYS MOVES TOWARDS DEATH PENALTY MORATORIUM
Belarus is moving closer to a moratorium on the death penalty, a senior judicial official